1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a technology for a process of searching content groups including the same content stored separately at regions such as, for example, in a local memory of a computer or on a site on the Internet. Further, the present invention relates to a system for an operator questioning processing which carries out processing corresponding to questions posed to the user by the operator using search results of the content searching processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
“Content” means data of various formats defined or recommended by an information provider such as, for example, user support help files, question and answer (Q and A) files, example files, and the like.
FIG. 15 shows an example of a content search processing system. In the content search processing system for searching content databases storing examples for resolving problems, a content database 93 within a computer (user terminal) 90 used by the user and a content database 97 provided within a support page server 95 that may be accessed by the user via a network 94 are prepared. Here, the content database 93 and the content database 97 have the same example data as content.
The user first inputs a search keyword into a web browser 91 on the user terminal 90 in order to acquire and refer to examples relating to problem solving and searches the content database 93 using a search processing program 92. The search processing program 92 extracts examples a, b and c . . . as search results and displays these examples a, b and c . . . using the web browser 91. The user selects the example considered to be the most useful from the list of displayed examples a, b, c, . . . by clicking, and resolves the problem by referring to the content of this example. When an example useful in solving a problem cannot be obtained in the search of the content database 93, the user accesses the support page server 95 from the web browser 91 and searches the content database 97. A search processing program 96 of the support page server 95 searches the content database 97 using a search keyword already inputted using the web browser 91 and these search results are displayed in the Web browser 91. If the search target content and the search keyword are the same, the search results for the search processing program 96 are made the same as the search results for the search processing program 92.
Further, it is assumed that the user can question the operator at the support page server 95 and then the user cannot find examples useful in solving the problem in the search results for the content database 93 and the content database 97. In this case, the user asks the operator questions with respect to the support page server 95 so that useful information can be acquired through a repeated exchange of questions, answers or the like between the user and the operator via the web browser 91 and an operator questioning processing program 98.
The user then searches one or both of the content databases stored on their own computer and the content database that is a resource provided on the internet and refers to appropriate examples. If it is determined that the example referred to is not useful, problem solving is achieved by asking questions to the operator.
In the content search processing system shown in FIG. 15, the examples themselves constituting the search targets can be shared in search processing with respect to the content database 93 within the user terminal 90 and the content database 97 within the support page server 95. However, the records on the history of search results the user has referred to are managed separately at the user terminal 90 and the support page server 95. Namely, when the user cannot find an example data indicating the desired way of solution in the search results for the content database 93 of the user terminal 90 so that a further search of the content database 97 of the support page server 95 is carried out. When search processing is carried out using the same search conditions (search keywords) and the content of both the search results is therefore substantially the same. As a result, examples within the initial results of searching the content database 93 already referred to and determined not to be useful by the user are again included in results of searches carried out again for the content database 97 and displayed. At the support page server 95, records of the user referring to examples in the initial results of searching the content database 93 are not also managed at the support page server 95 and unnecessary examples that the user has referred to and determined to not be useful are therefore displayed without being distinguished from examples that have not yet been referred to. This displaying without distinguishing between examples that have already been referred to and examples that have yet been referred to is extremely detrimental to the efficiency with which a user can refer to a search list.
When it is possible for the user to question the operator based on the content search, solutions, examples and the like already referred to by the user and determined not to be useful are limited to the user voluntarily listing these in a questions column for the operator. It is therefore not possible for the operator to be accurately aware of the situation as to what kind of examples have been referred to and whether or not a response has been requested.
On the other hand, in order to respond based on the content described in the questions column, responses duplicating the solutions and examples that have already been referred to and tried by the user are very common. Having content of responses duplicating examples already referred to by the user is therefore extremely detrimental to the efficiency of the problem solving for both the user and the operator. However, it is therefore difficult in reality to list all of the solutions, examples and the like that are confirmed as having been referred to, tried, and been ineffective in the problem column of the operator.